Bennett+Graff


 * SUMMARY: Ruth Camp died on February 2, 1916, from complications of an abortion perpetrated by Dr. Bennet Graff in Denver, CO.**

On February 2, 1916, Mrs. Ruth Camp died from complications of an illegal abortion performed in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Bennett Graff was found guilty of murder in Ruth's death, and sentenced to 11 - 13 years in prison. Graff protested "stoutly" and appealed the conviction. While awaiting trial in Ruth's death, another woman, Beulah Hatch, died at Denver's Mercy Hospital, and blame was placed on Graff for that death as well.

Both Graff and Dr. J. E. Thompson had their licenses revoked following false allegations that Thompson had perpetrated a fatal abortion on Pearl Kilday in January of 1912, and that the two men had falsified her death certificate to cover up. Pearl's body was exhumed and the original cause of death was verified in a second autopsy.

Source:
 * "Denver Doctors Escape Charges of Murder," T//opeka Daily Capital//, Mar. 29, 1916

Graff was born around 1867 in Pennsylvania. He was shown still as a doctor on the 1920 census, living with a "partner" who was a real estate agent. I've been unable to learn any more about him.